Autodesk Softimage 2011 Integrates NVIDIA's PhysX and CUDA Technologies

NVIDIA GPUs Provide Edge to 3D Animators Utilising Autodesk Softimage 2011

Integration of NVIDIA PhysX Engine and CUDA Enables Artists to Create Realistic Water, Lifelike Characters and Dynamic Explosions with Reactive Debris

With 3D moving squarely into the mainstream, game developers and animators can now create more compelling and realistic imagery by utilising the new Autodesk Softimage 2011 digital content creation solution, which integrates two key NVIDIA technologies; the NVIDIA PhysX Engine and NVIDIA CUDA.

This latest release of Autodesk Softimage 3D modeling and animation software enables real-time simulations using NVIDIA PhysX — a powerful physics application programming interface(API), or ‘engine’, accelerated by NVIDIA Quadro professional graphics processing units (GPUs) — and NVIDIA CUDA, the architecture behind NVIDIA GPUs. These improved simulations include the ability to create more realistic water-related visual effects, lifelike characters, and explosions that behave with exceptional realism.

“By integrating CUDA and PhysX technologies into the new release of Softimage, Autodesk hasopened up a new world of creative options for content creation professionals,” said Jeff Brown, general manager, Professional Solutions Group, NVIDIA. “With Quadro professional graphics, artists using Softimage can now achieve a higher level of realism, by adding physical simulations to their work.”
 

Softimage includes the Interactive Creative Environment (ICE), a powerful platform from Autodesk which provides a range of custom tools and visual effects. ICE is designed to help artists explore creative ideas with greater ease without the need of complicated programming. When working with PhysX programming interface rigid bodies, ICE leverages the massively parallel processing power of NVIDIA GPUs to boost interactivity in Softimage 2011.
 

“The integration of Autodesk Softimage 2011 with PhysX results in one of the best production environments for game developers,” said Mark Schoennagel, senior 3D evangelist, Autodesk.

“Softimage customers will be impressed by the ability to create more lifelike character animation and believable visual effects, now that NVIDIA’s CUDA architecture and PhysX
capabilities are integrated in Softimage.”